You are doing the right thing by getting support and info. Hopefully that will make you feel less sad and less scared. It does take time to adjust to life with allergies, as I've said before, but you will be able to do it.

My son was also 2 when he was diagnosed. He just turned 10 and hasn't had a reaction since. It is an adjustment but it gets easier with time. This forum has a lot of useful info and good advice so take the time and read through the sections. And you will also get good support from people here because we're all dealing with the same issues and challenges.

Jocelyn, what you are feeling is a normal response to your reality. You have been told of a new unseen danger to your child and you are in a state of vigilance and hyper-awareness. This will actually help you to learn and retain what you are learning.
It is a lot to take in.

I would suggest as others have that you read through some of the stories here to se that you are not alone and to see what others have done to cope.
Go through your kitchen and read every single label, ask yourself, "Has this ever been contaminated?" "Has a knife which has touched food been inserted back into this jar (jam)?"

You will learn your comfort level. How do you feel about may contain labels? How does your spouse feel about this? Communicate, sleep, read and relax. Don't let this define who you or your loved ones are. Have some balance in your life.

Carry a pad and pen to write down UPC codes and company names and telephone numbers so that you can contact them later. You will find yourself trolling the grocery store aisles looking for safe foods. Do this alone when you have the time.

Search your library for cookbooks and, if you wish, purchase those which you will use time and again.

Susan has some good advice for you Jocelyn. We've all been where you are now...its scary but yes, it does get better because you learn how to control it instead of it controlling you. Our first year with our second son (he was diagnosed at 9 months as nut allergic - ate crusts from his brother's pnut butter sandwhich...broke out in hives). I felt trapped by his allergy and his asthma.... then I got mad and decided I was going to control it not the other way around. Best advice is what Susan said about reading the labels. You will soon get to know which ones are safe and which aren't. We have 4 kids - 3 of them and myself are nut allergic. Three are adults, one is a teenager...all are still living!!!!! The two siblings younger than my son are also nut allergic - we just brainwashed them from day one that nuts might hurt them....until they were old enough to test (found out they all were allergic anyway...one for pnut, one for tree nuts, one for both). It does get better. Now is the time to educate yourself, your relatives, your friends and your son. This parent forum is the best!!! Wish it had been around when my kids were young. Great support!

My daughter was diagnosed at 2 as well. I found it a challenge because I was trying to raise a healthy and "non-picky" eater. A great piece of advice I got on this forum ( I think it was from Karen OASG) was to find the foods that are safe and healthy, your child likes, and stick with them. Unlike other non- allergy parents, I don't try anymore to continuously introduce new foods to DD. We found a bread that works for her and thats what she gets!

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